LEWISTON – After 18 years as an assisted living facility, the Intown Manor is closing.

The building, a historic city landmark at the corner of Ash and Bates streets, was purchased last week by Maine Preservation Housing Corp. of Portland.

The new owner plans to convert the residential care facility into 30 to 32 private apartments for the elderly, according to Marcel Morin, who brokered the deal.

“It depends on whether the contractor decides on one- or two-bedrooms,” said Morin. “But the space is there to build 30 apartments easily.”

Morin said the owner is looking for a developer to work with it on the project. In the meantime, the management of Intown Manor is trying to place the facility’s 38 residents.

The residential care facility provides housekeeping, meals and some medical services to its residents, most of whom are elderly. One of them is Therese Lemieux, 75, who has lived there for six years. Her son, Albert Lessard, is worried that he won’t be able to find a suitable home in the area for his mother.

“She’s on the waiting list for Russell Park and Montello, but there’s no room for her right now,” said Lessard. “Every place around here is packed.”

He said some of the Intown residents are going to places like Fort Kent and Madison. That worries him, since he has no vehicle. “My mother and I are close,” he said. “I’m afraid this will be devastating to her.”

Rachel St. Pierre, an administrator at Intown, said the home is working with residents and their families to find new placements. She said the facility would remain open until all the residents have new homes. Intown is also trying to help its 26 employees find new jobs.

Michael Norton, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said the state agency was aware of Intown’s plans to close. He said the owner kept the state apprised of its intentions and has complied with all its license requirements.

“I believe they are meeting their obligation to find new placements for people,” said Norton.

Morin said the previous owner, Ash Street Associates, initially considered selling the business and the property together, but realized it would have to pay a heavy tax on the sale of the business. So it decided instead to close the business and sell the property. It had been for sale for about two years, he said.

The new owner considered the building’s downtown location a prime asset.

“It’s close to amenities people need, like churches, banks, shops,” said Morin, noting they are all within walking distance. There are 50 parking spaces on the property as well.

“If somebody develops this place properly, it would be a trophy property,” he said. “The hope is to retain the character of the building – it’s beautiful.”

The brick and granite building is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1892 by the Catholic order of the Grey Nuns as an orphanage and named Healey Asylum, for Bishop James A. Healey of Portland. It operated as an orphanage until 1973, when it became a boarding home.